Bloodlines: Echoes
by Adam-Bloodraven
Summary: I've always known that I wasn't normal. I lived with my Aunt and Uncle until I was five… when they realized just how dangerous I was they sent me away. I didn't mean to hurt Dudley… Yellow Eyes made me do it! But they sent me away. I was a freak, and a monster, and I was alone for so long… but then the man in the purple robes came, and everything changed.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: On a Red Steed

I would remember the first time I saw the Hogwarts Express for the rest of my life.

I had woken up at sunrise, like every day. It was the first time I had been allowed in a hotel, and I spent a lot more time standing under the hot water then was really necessary. My breakfast was a lot larger then I was used to receiving, at least I wouldn't have to sneak off later to find something to tide me over. At eight AM I was on was on the curb, and not five minutes later the taxi service was pulling in. The driver helped me put my trunk in the boot, and then we were off.

We arrived by nine, which gave me a two hour window to do anything needed before the departure. This was beneficial, because when I arrived between platforms nine and ten, there was nothing to greet me. No signs. No one looking to guide anyone. After searching the station again, and returning I was desperate. I didn't want to do it, but I didn't really have a choice now did I?

I need to see…

And suddenly the world changed. I pulled up my hood, and made sure that no one would see me for the freak I was. But now I could see it. The pillar between platforms nine and ten shimmered like the blacktop back at the orphanage on a hot summer day. I pushed that part of myself back, and everything became normal again, then strode towards the wall with purpose.

I passed through the façade, and everything seemed to go dark for half a second before I was standing on platform, the signs reading Platform 9 ¾. The train itself was a bright red, the shade reminded me of the apples we picked every autumn. I quickly made my way onboard, and again had to use my freakishness to mussel my trunk onto the rack. Then I hunkered down next to the window, and hoped that no one would join me in the room.

At almost eleven however, the door opened to reveal a pair of red headed twins. "Oi, these seats taken?" I shook my head. I didn't want them here, but what choice did I have? Between the two of them, they hoisted another trunk onto the racks then departed with a salute, leaving me and someone who I hadn't even realized was there. She was a little shorter then me, maybe a year younger too. She looked nervous, probably as nervous as me. Father Mathews words echoed through my mind. 'You're a big boy now Harry. God wants you to look after his children that are younger then you.' So I sucked in my breath, and said hello.

"Hi… I'm Harry. What's your name?"

She seemed to take that as an invitation, and finally came in out of the corridor. She sat across from me, and pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them. She kept her face partially hidden from me. "Ginny… Ginny Weasley."

"You looking forward to you first year too?" Her eyes darted around, nervous.

"It's your first year too?"

I nodded, trying to keep the smile on my face. "Yeah… I was supposed to come last year, but apparently I got kind of lost. No one knew where I had ended up. Didn't get found until February."

"You can stop smiling."  
I almost faltered. "Why?"

"Your not really happy. You're just pretending."

I let the smile drop, my fear spiking. What did I do to give it away? I'm such a freak, can't even smile right anymore. Or can she just tell how much of a freak I am. "If you want I can help you find another compartment. If you don't want to sit with me." I turned my head away in shame. I'm a freak, I don't deserve friends. She whimpered, then replied. "No… I didn't mean it like that. It's just… I didn't think you would want to sit with me."

I turned and gave her an appraising look. She had pulled her face out so I could see it, chocolate colored eyes stared out at me, her face framed by fiery red hair. I could tell that she had been crying, and the urge to help overwhelmed all my instincts to stay distant. "Why were you crying?"  
She turned and looked out the window. "I tried to sit with my brother… he chased me out of the compartment. He's such a jerk." She seemed to withdraw more, and the way she was shaking, I knew that she was on the verge of tears again. Damn it! I couldn't stand to let people cry… especially alone.

"Hey, come here." I patted the seat next to me. She hesitated a moment, but then switched to sit next to me. I wrapped my arms around her, and she started crying into my shoulder. "Don't worry… everything's gonna be alright." After a few minutes of crying, she just sat there quivering in the aftershocks. I reached under my shirt and pulled out my cross. It was a simple silver cross on a silver chain, Father Mathews had given it to me when I turned nine. It was all I had left the man that I considered my father. Of everything I owned, it was my most prized possession.

"Oh Heavenly Father, watch over your child and stand by her in her time of need."  
"What are you doing?"

I looked down into Ginny's eyes, they were confused and questioning. I stumbled over my words. Everyone here was a witch or wizard… he was one too. Was it still right to be doing this? "I'm praying… I'm asking God to watch out for you. He'd be better at it then me anyway. And you seem like a good person, he'll definitely look out for you."

"Why didn't you ask him to look out for you?"

I looked away, trying to hide my shame. "I'm not good enough for that. He's already given me more then I deserve. Besides, there's no point. God doesn't look out for…" I clamped my mouth shut. Her voice was forceful this time, how she could go from crying to angry so fast, I didn't have the foggiest. "Hey! What were you about to call yourself?"

I kept looking away. I didn't want to see her eyes… but I knew I couldn't lie either. It would only make things worse. "God doesn't look out for freaks or monsters. And I'm both, so it doesn't matter." Then she growled, I assume at me, and punched me. It was probably hard for her, but I barely felt it. "Your not a monster! Or a freak! Who told you that?"

"Father David. He runs the orphanage."

"And why are you a freak? Or a monster?"  
"Because I do weird things… I grew my hair back overnight last year. And I can see things… and I can talk to animals… and…" I couldn't say anymore. If I told her then she would tell everyone else. And then I would be alone here too… not that I didn't deserve it. I tried to pull away from her, but she locked her arms around me, and pulled me back to her.

"Then let me ask you, am I a freak?"  
I shook my head. "No. You're a nice girl."

"But I did weird things too… I once turned my brothers hair yellow. And I can talk to animals too. And," she looked around, making sure that no one was listening, then leaned in and whispered into my ear. "I can turn into one too."

I looked down at her, shocked. How could she say that! Didn't she know what that meant. I couldn't help the tears that started to well up. She quickly realized what she had done. "No, no, no, don't cry!"  
"No… you can't be like me. You're a nice person… just tell me you were lying. Please!"

She looked remorseful, "I can't. I'm telling the truth. What's wrong? Lots of people do weird things! It's called accidental magic." I couldn't help it, I buried my face into her shoulder and cried. "You don't understand. If you're like me… then you'll get punished like me. I can't…"

"No one will punish us. The professors wont punish us, the prefects wont either. I promise."

It didn't help. She wouldn't understand, and I couldn't bring myself to tell her. How do you tell a little girl that God didn't love her? That everyone would eventually abandon her, and her life would be nothing but misery? I don't know how long she held me there, but I remember waking up. I was sprawled out across the seat, my head in her lap. She was stroking my hair, and she looked really nervous. I looked up and asked without thinking, "What's wrong?"

She let out a squeak and I saw the blush creep up her neck. "Your… your… your Harry…"

"Yeah, I told you that when you came in."  
"No! Your Harry Potter!"

I turned my head, and looked away, embarrassed. "I'm not. I'm Harry Mathews."

"No, you're Harry Potter, you've got the scar. Why are you lying?"

"I'm not lying! I don't want to be Harry Potter. Everybody knows Harry Potter… everyone loves Harry Potter. I don't deserve that. I'm not a good guy. I'm Harry Mathews."

She grabbed my head and forced me to look at her. She stared into my eyes, and it felt like all the times Father Mathews and Father David and been looking at me when I had done something wrong. After about a minute, she said very calmly. "Ok. Your Harry Mathews. I'm Ginny Weasley. And we're gonna be best friends. Deal?" I looked at her dumbly. "Uh… what?"

"You prat! We're best friends now. Don't what me."

"But… don't I get a say?"

"No. I'm a girl, and girls are always right. So you're my best friend now whether you like it or not."

I just continued to stare at her.

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

No matter how I tried to explain it to her, Ginny wouldn't hear anything of what I said. Eventually I just gave up. When the train arrived, we were led with the other first years down a winding trail to the lake where boats carried us off, to shouts by the grounds keeper of "No more then for to a boat!" The sight of the castle was definitely beautiful, is windows like stars glimmering in the night sky. But all to quickly we were across the water and left to wait to be sorted. When the stern Professor McGonagall said that we would be sorted, I nearly lost it. This was where the good were sorted from the bad, and I was going to be put in among the bad. And Ginny would too. After she left, Ginny pulled me aside. "There's no good or bad here Harry. They're just Houses. It's like… getting told where to sleep. No big deal. And no matter what, I'm going to be in the same house as you."

I stared at her, wide eyed. "You… you can't. You have to go where they tell you."  
She shook her head. "Nope. It's you and me. Two best mates against the world."

I didn't have time to respond before we were summoned inside the Hall. It was breathtaking. The ceiling glittered, and exact replica of the sky above. Four sets of tables ran the length of the hall, with banners draped over them. An eagle, a badger, a snake, and a lion. Then we all stood and waited. And one by one we were sorted. And then finally, the moment I had dreaded arrived.

"Mathews, Harry."

I walked up and sat on the stool. And then the hat was placed on my head, and a voice whispered in my ear.

"Well, well, what do we have here. Mr Potter in disguise… I thought I might never see you here. But no matter. Now, where to sort you. You definitely have the mind for Ravenclaw. Your loyalty is truly legendary as well, not many have passed into these hallowed halls and retained their faith for even a single day. You've definitely the courage for Gryffindor. And cunning… well you are here behind a hidden name. What is more cunning then tricking the whole world. So many choices, but you can only go to one house."  
"Where… where will Ginny go?"

"Miss Weasley… I don't know yet. Haven't had a chance to look into her head… but if she's anything like her family, then Gryffindor."

I paused… was it alright to ask?

"If Gryffindor is where you want to be, then I wouldn't be the one to stand in your way."  
Wait… it could read my mind?

"Why yes, I can indeed. And while you may not be as courageous as some, you most definitely have the potential, so have a great time in, GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was shouted for everyone to hear. I quickly pulled off the hat and returned it to the professor. And most of the people present were applauding… applauding me.

I hurried over to the table where I was being waved, beneath the lion, and sat among those already sorted. Time ticked by, and before I knew it, Ginny was sitting on the stool. And we waited, we waited for several minutes before it shouted again. "GRYFFINDORE!" Ginny looked like I imagine I had, and rushed down to sit next to me.

After the sorting finished, Professor Dumbledore stood and the noise died down. "Welcome all of you fine students to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hopefully you have used your break to empty your heads, and are ready to fill them anew. Now, before we sit down for a lovely supper, I have a few announcements. First, I would inform our first years, and remind the rest of you, that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. Second, there is to be no use of magic in the corridors between your classes. Third, a number of items have been added to our list of banned objects. Please see Mr Filch for a complete list. Lastly, if you encounter any problems, please speak to your head of house or a prefect. Now, tuck in!" He clapped his hands with the last words, and a wave of food appeared across the Hall.

I tried not to let it show how hungry I was. But gave up after my first few bites. After the feast concluded, we were led up to through the castle, and to the Gryffindor common room, informed along the way that the door to our dormitories was hidden and locked by rotating password.

In the common room, we were informed quite plainly of the separation of the boys and girls, and that boys shouldn't try to ascend to stairs to the girls dormitory. The common room was alive with activity, and I was a bit overwhelmed by it all. Ginny seemed to notice, and drug me over to one of the quieter corners. "Harry, go to bed. Go up to your dorm and get some sleep, I'll meet you down here first thing."

"You promise?" I knew I sounded like a child, but I was too tired to care.

"I promise." So we separated.

I went up the stairs, and quickly found my room, shared with several other boys. But unlike back in the orphanage, the beds were lavish, and we each had our own desk and wardrobe. And the beds had curtains. I quickly changed before anyone else arrived, and climbed into bed before closing the curtains. Then I prayed.

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and for give us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. God… I made a friend today… please don't send her to hell with me. She's really nice, and her name is Ginny Weasley. I know you don't like me, but please, don't punish her. She's a good girl, I can tell. She's nothing like me. Take her up to Heaven with you, put her sins on me. I'll do anything… just… please don't hurt her. Amen"

AN: As I promised, first chapter. I named this a companion piece to Warrior, and it is to a degree. The stories aren't happening at the same time, but I'm taking several of the things that I came up with for that story, and am recycling them here. This story might be a little bit more… emotional then Warrior. Warrior is meant to have a bit more action in it, where as Bloodlines will definitely be about people. Enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: This Side of Paradise

I woke up to the sound of my new dorm mates fighting over the bathroom. I never really understood some girls, how could you spend hours in the bathroom? After waiting nearly an hour, I got my turn, and then was heading down the stairs to wait for Harry. When I got to the common room however, I was greeted by something I hoped I wouldn't see again. Harry was tucked away in the same corner from last night, and it looked like he was on the verge of crying again. And to make mattes worse, my prat of a brother was there, and it looked like he was teasing him.

"What's wrong, miss your mummy already Mathews?" So I walked up behind him, and slugged him hard in the ribs. He let out a hiss of pain, then turned to glare at me. "Bloody Hell Gin! What ya do that for?"  
"Your picking on my friend. Do it again, and I'll Bat-Bogey you until you cry for mum." Ron and his friends seemed to take the hint and quickly beat a retreat out the portrait to breakfast. I turned to Harry. "Hey… what's wrong?"

"I thought you had forgotten… or ditched me." He looked away, and I could tell he was ashamed. "Harry, I promised, and I don't break my promises. Now, how long have you been waiting for me?"

He shrugged. "Little after dawn."

I couldn't help the shock that came out in my voice. "Dawn? Did you sleep alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah… I just… I can't sleep once the sun comes up. First light and I'm awake." So I took his hand in mine, he was still trembling, and guided him down to the Great Hall. Or… at least I tried to. The corridors were all different then last night, and we ended up getting lost. We did find out way there, eventually. By the time we arrived, I was starving. But Harry seemed in the same boat, and we had a very pleasant, very large, breakfast. Professor McGonagall gave us our time tables, and then it was back to the dorm. Thankfully we didn't get lost on our way there, or on our way to Transfiguration.

The week blurred by, and before either of us knew, it was the weekend. I insisted on pulling Harry out onto the grounds to enjoy the day. After spending a whole week with the boy, I was now very aware of a few things. One, Harry didn't think particularly highly of himself. Two, he was very fragile emotionally. And third, he never fought back. Several people had taken to trying to bully him, and he never retaliated. The most he would do was try to away from them, and then cry. Everything I was finding out about Harry was so different from what people had thought about him. He wasn't some knight in shining armor. He was a very sad little boy and I just wanted to help.

"So, how did you like your first week?" I had managed to drag him to an old tree by the lake. It was a nice secluded spot, not far enough to be dangerous, but just far enough that we wouldn't likely be disturbed.

"It was alright… I guess."  
"Well, what was your favorite class?" He looked at me nervously. "Its alright Harry, there's no wrong answer."

"Potions." Now that one had me wheeling a bit. Snape had been a right git, even going so far as to ask questions that I'm sure aren't in the first year book.

"Why'd you like that so much."  
"Because… well if you can do half of what Professor Snape says… then imagine the kinds of things you could make to help people. I always wanted to be a doctor…" He trailed off looking disappointed.  
"Well then, at least you know what you want to do with your life."  
He looked away, and I realized I'd touched a soft spot. "Harry… what's wrong?"

"I can't be a doctor." I huffed. Every time I tried to cheer him up, he always tore himself down with his talk about being a freak. "And why not?"

"I can't be around blood…"

Now that's something. Finally talking, eh Harry?

"Why?" He looked really nervous, and tried to look away, but I grabbed his head, and forced him to look at me. "Why Harry?"

His eyes were wide and terrified, "Because then the monster comes out."

"The monster?"

He nodded. "Yellow Eyes… that what I call it. It… it lives inside me. It's part of me. And usually I can keep it from doing much… but when it sees blood… it goes crazy. It wants out… when I was little I hurt my cousin. He cut his arm and… Yellow Eyes made me…" This time he pulled away, and it was all I could do to pull him back down. Even so, he kept struggling, trying to get away.  
"No Harry! What happened?" He shook his head and renewed his struggle to get away. "Tell me!" He managed to get himself free of my arms and started to run. "Oh you don't, you're not getting away!" So I ran up and tackled him, locking my arms around his neck, but he continued to struggle.  
"Let me go!"  
"Not happening!" He suddenly went absolutely rigid.

"Ginny… please… run…" He started to shake, and I realized something was wrong.

I quickly untangled my limbs from him, and back pedaled. I felt it happen… there was as shift in the air, and I could feel the magic in the area rebel and try to flee. I stood pinned to the spot, only able to watch and breath. His body contorted, and with a shimmer Harry the human disappeared, replaced by a lanky half starved wolf. His fur was the color of a starless night, and his eyes were a sickly shade of yellow and, while she could see the fear deep in them, they stared at me with a burning hatred and hunger.

I panicked, my magic flaring and I reacted on instinct. I don't even remember changing, all I remember feel of my paws on the ground as I ran. I didn't have to look back to know he was chasing me. And I didn't stop… we ran… for hours… the sun was dipping into the west when I finally couldn't run anymore. I stared up at the sky, awash in a myriad of colors. It was so beautiful, and it was such a shame that it would probably be the last thing I saw. I wanted, desperately to see Ron one last time… mum and dad… to say goodbye. I felt as he approached. That same stillness in the air. And then he collapsed on top of me. It drove what little air I had out of my lungs, and made me yelp. So this was how it ended?

When wolves talk… it isn't like humans. I'd never had a conversation with another wolf before. None left in England to talk to, but it's instinctual. The sounds just mean what they mean.

_Friend._

I managed to turn my head to look at him. His eyes weren't that same yellow anymore. They were a blend of his usual green and gold.

_Friend?_

_Friend. Glad not hurt._ He moved his head up and nuzzled my neck._ Very sorry. Not bother again._ He picked himself up off of me, and I watched as he tried to drag himself away. He was just as exhausted as I was, and after only about three meters his legs gave out and he tumbled to the ground. I couldn't help the noise I made… watching him like that was causing my heart to break. I used what little energy I had left and drug myself over to him, and collapsed on him the same way he had on me.

_No. Stay._ He looked up at me, clearly exhausted, but with obvious fear in his eyes.

Not stay. Almost hurt… no friends…then no hurt…

I swatted his nose, and he looked up at me shocked.

_Stay or I make you stay. Mine now._

_Yours?_

_Mine._ He looked nervous.

_You mine too?_ I nodded into his neck.

As the sun started to set we curled up together, and for the fist time, in a very long time, I felt at peace. My family knew about me, it's kind of hard to hide that you're a shape shifter when your family is as big as mine. And while they did accept me, there was always that wariness, keeping me more distant than necessary. But Harry… he held me when he didn't even know me. He let me have his shoulder to cry on. And he knew what it was like. To not be normal…

We slept like that… beneath the stars in the forest. For a very long time, that was the happiest moment in my life. It was the memory that kept me going… the one light that never went out.

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

The next few weeks flew by in a haze. Every day we went to classes, and every night we roamed the grounds. On weekends we usually spent most of the day on the grounds. It seemed to help him more then I realized. We mostly ate at the castle, but we did hunt twice. Harry never reacted like that first day. It was like something had changed… and he started looking better. I realized that he must not have been eating enough. Shape shifters need to eat a lot more then normal people, and I think he had been eating a little less then a normal person.

It was always a hassle, having to sneak back up every morning, but if it made Harry feel better, it was worth it. He didn't cry as much anymore, and he even stood up for a couple of the other first years from Hufflepuff when some of the older Slytherins tried to bully them. He never fought back, but he would put himself in front of people. When I asked him about it, he stated, very simply, "Jesus said to love your enemy and always turn the other cheek. I wont fight back, because that's not what Jesus did."

But the most shocking experience came near the end of October. After a particularly long, but surprisingly quiet potions class, we were asked to stay behind. When everyone had left, I decided to speak up. "Professor, did we do something wrong?" Paying attention, I noticed that his demeanor had changed. "No Miss Weasley. The both of you have been doing well… extremely well. Better in fact that almost any other First Year I've had either the pleasure or displeasure of teaching. And while I am loathed to do so, I must ask. Mr Mathews… I have asked you several questions this year that are above your year, and yet you seem to know them. Tell me, how are you cheating?"

Harry's face twisted up and he looked guilty, but I knew he wasn't cheating. "He tells me Sir." Snape didn't look amused.

"And who, Mr Mathews is he?"

He looked around nervously, "I'd rather not say Sir."  
"You will tell me, or I will assign you and Miss Weasley a weeks worth of detentions. As well as dock your house points."

I took Harry's hand and gave it a squeeze. Snape might not be the best guy, but it might be able to help Harry. "It's ok Harry." That seemed to give him the courage he needed.

"It… doesn't have a name Sir… I call him, it, Yellow Eyes." Snape gave Harry a very flat look. "It… it's inside sir." And he tapped on his head.

Snape's features became an emotionless mask. "Mr Mathews… I do not appreciate games."

Harry looked extremely nervous, and his eyes darted back and forth across the room. I was close enough to hear the whisper, and I know Snape could too. "No… I wont say it. It doesn't mean anything…" he gave a sigh and slumped. "he says… he says you never should have called the flower muddy." If looks could kill, Harry would have been dead on the floor a thousand times over.  
"What was that boy?!"

Harry was shaking, I could tell as much in fear as shame. "He says… he says that she was going to ask you out… but you called her muddy… he says," his eyes widened, "that your blood would have been much better for me."

Snape froze, and I was sure he had simply blowing off the scale. His voice was a trembling whisper. "Who was your mother…?"

Harry's voice was trembling. "Professor Dumbledore said her name was Lily."

Snape's eyes went wide. "Harry… Potter…" But Harry's response was quick and angry.

"NO! I'M HARRY MATHEWS!" Then he seemed to realize what he had done, and was crying. Snape looked completely shocked. I ignored him for the moment and wrapped my arms around Harry, who leaned into my shoulder. Then I turned to look at Snape. "He's Harry Mathews… I'm sorry Professor. He doesn't think he deserves to be someone like Harry Potter. Please don't tell anyone about this."

Snape was shocked speechless. After a few minutes he seemed to snap out of his stupor. "Miss Weasley, you will take Mr… Mathews to the hospital wing." He strolled over to his desk and scrawled a quick note. "Have a Madam Pomfrey give him a Draught of Peace. Then give this note to Professor Flitwick, it will excuse the two of you from the rest of your classes." After handing over the note he strode out of the classroom. I gathered up our supplies as best I could, and helped Harry to the Hospital Wing. After receiving his potion from Madam Pomfrey however, Harry became almost uncontrollable when I tried to leave. As a result Madam Pomfrey was forced to deliver the note, though she did tell me, "Don't worry dear." Once we were alone, I couldn't help but feel so helpless. It seemed like we still had a long way to go before Harry would be in any kind of fit state. But still… it was Harry. He was worth it. He would always be worth it.

AN: A bit short, but I spent most of last night trying to work out the differences of opinion between myself and the commissioner of Warrior. It looks like it might be another edited chapter for Saturday or Sunday. Expect another chapter later after I get home tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: A Haunting Halloween

I was in a forest. I couldn't remember how I had gotten there either. Looking around, everything was unfamiliar… the trees were massive and reached up into the heavens blotting out the sky with their branches and leaving the whole area in a perpetual semi-twilight. There was moss everywhere, a thick padding of it covered the forest floor, leaving my bare feet feeling comfortable as I explored. Even with my senses blunted by my human form, I could smell the heady sent of unspoiled nature. A sound echoed through the forest, foliage rustled, and then there was a scream. It was high pitched and inhuman, and my blood ran cold. I concentrated, the familiar tingling sensation running through my body, and as my four paws hit the ground I was already mid stride.

One of the trees split, the sound like a lightning strike in the unnatural silence of the forest. It came crashing down, the roar of its fall like an avalanche, right in my path. I had to backpedal not to be crushed, but the falling branches weren't so easy to avoid. I lay there, every breath a sharp pain ran through my chest, and that was when I saw it. It was standing atop the trunk of the fallen tree, sunlight streamed down revealing it in all its hellish glory. It was immensely tall, maybe three meters or so, and so lean that it looked starved and unnatural. It was covered in a pelt of shaggy matted fur that gleamed an unhealthy shade of yellow. Its limbs were long, and unnaturally proportioned for is body, and ended in delicate looking claws. But it was the eyes that stole away my breath, and made me shiver in fear. They were the same shade of yellow as its fur, gleaming with malevolence and hunger, and an inner radiance, like the flicker of torchlight.

It stalked forward, the claws on its feet digging into the trunk and preventing it from loosing its grip. About halfway to me, it leapt, and landed in a crouch over me. It came close, I could smell a stench of decay and that clung to it almost making me gag, and whispered in my ear. Its voice was a hacking rasp, like someone choking out their last breaths, "My, my, my… aren't you the pretty one. He's so scared right now… he knows what comes next… he's crying, begging me not to. But how can I resist something so delicious?" Its tongue drug across my skull, and I realized that I was bleeding. I tried to bite it, but a limb lashed out and pinned me to the ground, sending pain radiating through my neck and muzzle. "Bad girl… now I'm going to have to punish you." It's eyes glimmered, pure malevolence the only thing I could see in them. "Now… we're going to have some fun.

I woke up in a pool of my own sweat, and realized that someone was screaming. It was high pitched and made my ears ring. It took me a second to realize that it was my own voice, and by then my dorm mates were shaking me. Their faces filled with terror and worry, it took me several minutes to catch my breath. By then one of the prefects, I didn't know her name, was there. "Are you alright? Do you need me to get someone?"

I gasped out, "Yeah… hospital…" I could barely breath, my chest hurt so much, and then I coughed up blood. I don't really remember the trip, I think I was fading in and out of consciousness, but I do remember when they put me on the bed. They jostled my side and it was like someone had stuck a hot poker into it. The last thing I heard were worried voices asking how it had happened, and equally worried voices saying that they didn't know.

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

I never liked Halloween. Yellow Eyes always seemed to be more prone to trying to get me to do things. But this year was different. The nightmare the night had been awful, but that was just another nightmare. But I realized something was wrong when I woke up… long after sunrise. I quickly got ready, seeing as it was Saturday, and my dorm mates were either still sleeping or long gone. Then I went down and waited for Ginny. But after almost two hours, she still hadn't shown up. Just when I was starting to get really worried, someone put their hand on my shoulder. I turned and looked up at Percy, Ginny's brother. "Hey… Ginny wont be down today. She's in the hospital wing."

My heart dropped into my stomach. No… it was just a dream. "Can… can I go see her?" He game me a stiff nod and offered to take me, which I politely accepted. When we arrived, my heart didn't drop any further, it just became a stone and I had to use everything I had to keep from vomiting. Ginny looked like she had been beaten, bruises dotting what skin was exposed. I stood numbly next to her bed when its voice slithered through my head.

**So beautiful… maybe next time I'll actually get to go further… I wonder…would she want to be your little friend then?**

Stop it!

_**Why? You enjoyed it too. Don't deny what you felt.**__  
NO!_

**But she tasted so good… and all that untapped power… just let me out… and you can get a real taste.**

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

I remembered collapsing, I remembered shouting "no" over and over again. I remember it whispering to me to let it out. I don't know how long that went on before I was looking into Professor Snape's eyes. I could hear him talking. "He can't be here Headmaster. This is the second time he's had an episode in the last month. Next time he might hurt someone, or himself. You have to remove him."  
"And do what Severus? Send him to Beauxbatons? Or Durmstrang? Neither school will be nearly as good for him, and then he'll were we can't help him."  
"Then have him privately educated!"

"Again, who would you trust to do something of such a magnitude?"

"Damn it Albus!" His eyes left mine, I don't think that they realized that I could hear them. "I wont let you just try to smooth this over! He needs serious help! His mind is in shambles, he's been emotionally and physically abused! It's a wonder he hasn't tried to kill someone yet!"

"I understand that you have some concerns,"  
"These aren't minor concerns Albus! This isn't a few missed meals or the occasional reprimand! That boy has been systematically tortured and degraded. I doubt he will ever have any kind of real relationships in his future, we'll be lucky if he doesn't turn into another Dark Lord. He thinks he's a monster Albus… he believes with every fiber of his being that he is going to Hell when he dies… now while he's a child he will follow the rules, but once he grows up… he'll realize that if he's going to Hell, there's no downside to anything he does."

"I wish it could be different Severus, but," Snape's voice cut Dumbledore off.

"I'll do it."

I could hear Dumbledore chuckle. "Severus, while I do find it quite heart warming, there is no way that I could let you do that."

It was quiet for a very long time, before I heard either speak again. "If you don't remove him… then at least do something to bind that… creature inside him up."  
"I can't do that either Severus. If his body becomes unaccustomed to it, then it could very well kill him when I removed such a binding." Professor Snape cursed very loudly at Dumbledore. "So you wont do anything?"

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do."  
I heard Professor Snape stride away, his foot falls were hard and their sound very loud. "We'll see about that. I'll ruin my reputation if I have to, but I will see that boy taken care of!"

"Severus wait!"

After a few minutes of silence, I turned trying to figure out where I was. It became quickly apparent that I was in the hospital wing. Ginny was in the bed next to mine, and though she looked all but healed, I could still imagine all the bruises and other injuries, and it brought tears to my eyes. She was my best friend and I had done that to her. I curled up into a ball and tried my hardest to just disappear.

**Just let me out and all your troubles go away, you wont feel any pain ever again.**

_No…you're lying…_

**No, I'm not. You let me out, and you can just sleep all the pain away-**

There was a hiss in my mind, and suddenly someone was holding me. When the whisper met my ear I realized it was Ginny instantly. "Don't do it Harry. I've got you."

**LEAVE US!**

"Never. I wont let you hurt him anymore."

**I WILL SUCK THE MARROW FROM YOUR BONES!**

_NO YOU WON'T!_ I struck out with every bit of conviction I possessed. There was a horrendous shriek, and I felt it scurry to somewhere far away.

**I'll be back! And next time… I'll kill her! Next time I wont play, next time I'll kill!** And with that, he was gone.

AN: This chapter is very short... much shorter then I would prefer honestly, but it is also the conclusion of the first section of the story. From here, we jump forward several years. I know, its a bad trope. But it's what the story calls for. This first section is a sort of introduction, showing us the very beginning, like the memories Snape showed Harry. They give basic context for some of what follows. The next chapter is already half done, and I'm hoping to finish it and post it later today. I'll also admit, I'm jumping the story forward because I don't feel comfortable writing children, partially because I don't like putting the very young into certain situations. However, once we cross into the mid-teenage years I start to feel much more comfortable, and feel that I can describe the interactions between characters better.

ANN: Before we get any further into this story, I would like to say the following. I am not a Catholic. I am not person who conforms to the Abrahamic religions. I'm not a Buddhist, or a Taoist, or a really anything. I would consider myself a spiritual philosopher, and have experienced many religions. Much of what I know is either from personal experience, personal research, or second hand from friends and colleagues. This story has a definite spiritual component, experienced through Harry's ties to the Catholic Church and said church's God. I am not out to bash religion. I am not out to tear down anyone's personal beliefs. This story is a work of fiction, please treat it as such. I know I'm going to get some of this wrong, and I accept people telling me what I got wrong, as well as what the truth is. However, there will be times when something is fictions for a reason. I ask that you accept this story as the work of fiction that it is, and accept that certain things will deviate from the real world.

Thank you.  
- Adam Bloodraven


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Decisions

I still woke up every dawn, but I was thankful for every day now. For four wonderful years I had peace. The demon that haunted every moment of my life had been gone for four years. He was still there, hiding somewhere far away from me, but I no longer had him whispering in my ear almost every moment of the day. But best of all, or sometimes worst of all, was what it had inadvertently done for me. When Yellow Eyes attacked Ginny that night so long ago, it had forged a connection. Not some mythical bond that transcended time and space, made our souls into one, or anything silly like that. But we could reach out, and talk to each other. We shared dreams. Ginny had been the one to figure it out, bless her heart. She had spent almost every waking moment doing one thing or another to help me. She was my best mate.

And that was where the dilemma was. It was our OWLs year, and I had a decision to make. The most important decision of my life. And my dorm mates simply couldn't let me make the decision in peace. Oh no. They had to be taunting me about it.

"Really? Could you see him, all up in front of a congregation?"  
"Do you think they'll give him the wizard communion wine?"

I gave a frustrated growl. "Really Colin?"  
"Oh come off it Harry. You, a priest?"

"Well I was raised in an orphanage run by the church. The man I consider my father was a priest. It's what I always figured I would do with my life… well not the pries part, when I was younger I thought I would be a monk."  
Another round of laughter. "You! A monk?! Could you imagine John?"

John was doubled over on his bed and could barely say anything, "No… Friar Mathews!"

I threw my pillow at him. "This is serious! I need to decide if I'm going to stop after my OWLs and move on to the seminary! It's something that will effect the rest of my life!"

Colin calmed down a bit. "Ok, ok Mathews. But let me ask you something." I gave him my full attention. "Do you think that they'll let you pull rabbits out of the communion goblet?" And then they were off again, and I wasn't having any of it. I stormed out and down to the common room.

I found Ginny sitting in our corner, working on an essay. I slumped down beside her and let my head land on the table. "You really shouldn't do that. You're going to hurt the table." I looked up at her and glared.

"Really funny."  
"Hey, you love my witty comments."  
"Normally, yes. But I'm trying to actually think about something but Colin and John wont let me hear the end of it."  
"Is this about your joining the priesthood?"  
"Yes!"

She gave me a look. "Don't get snippy with me Mathews. I thought you had decided that you were going to join up. You've always wanted to, and while I don't always agree with what you, I do think that it's what you want to do."

I grumbled. "I though I did, but I realized something this last summer, and now all my careful planning is out the window."  
"Then just stay for a couple more years. Take your NEWTs, and decide then. Simple as that." I glared up at her. "It's not that simple Gin, and you know it."  
"Why?"  
"Because…" I cut myself off. Why was I telling my problem why I was having a problem. How do you tell a girl that your thinking of giving up what you saw as a lifelong calling for her.  
"See? You don't have a reason, which makes it that simple. Besides, I can't let me best mate run off before we finish school together, now can I?" adding a cockney accent at the end. I just put my head back on the table and grumbled.

_"Hey…really, what's wrong? You're never like this Harry. It's really worrying me."_

"_Gin…it's…_" I couldn't even finish the thought.

_"Harry… talk to me. You've never had a problem talking to me before, so why is it so hard now?"_ I stifled every thought in my head. I couldn't risk letting anything slip through.

_"Harry… don't you clam up on me now."_

_"I'm not talking about this with you."_

_"Oh! Now we're getting somewhere! I think I saw something too…"_

_"I mean it Gin! Stay out!"_

_"Not happening! A lady is always right, so tell me or I'll start strolling through and find it myself."_ I couldn't help it, I bolted. It really wasn't my finest hour. She bolted after me.

"Mathews! You get back here!"  
"Not happening!" I tossed back over my shoulder. But no matter where or how I ran, she was always only a couple seconds behind. Years of this exact thing, though all those times it was for fun. I couldn't help but thing about how the Lord worked in mysterious ways. My train of thought was completely interrupted as I cut around a corner and clipped Ginny's brother Ron. While I managed to keep my feet, Ron was sent to the floor with a bellowed Oi. However, before I could fully regain my footing, Ginny was around the corner and leaping over her brother to tackle me to the ground.

We ended up face to face, her nose only centimeters away from mine, staring into each other's eyes. "Now talk."

"Not happening."

She cocked an eyebrow and that beautiful grin split her face making her eyes sparkle. "Well, then I'll just have to do something drastic." And she got even closer, and I was very aware of how we looked right now. Sure, people were used to how we acted, but this was extreme even for the two of us. She growled into my ear and it sent a shiver down my spine… then she bit me. And for a minute I couldn't even think. When I regained my senses I realized that Ginny wasn't there anymore, and I almost let out a whine.

"What are you thinking?"

"It's none of your business Ronald!"

"The hell it isn't Ginevra! I'm a bloody prefect! You two just come tearing down the hall, and then… that!"

"Back off or I'll make sure that Hermione thinks you've been looking at Lavender again!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

I just stared up at the ceiling, until Ginny appeared and drug me to my feet. Spotting Ron I gave him a sympathetic look as Ginny drug me away. "Remember what I said Ronald!" We walked in silence for a full ten minutes as she drug me to our tree. Once there she pushed me down into the well worn crevice in the roots, and then she climbed into my lap. And I was right where I was back in the hall, just now with more fresh air. We were close enough that I could smell her scent, even without my abnormally strong senses.

"Harry… what's wrong."

And now I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I could lie, I hated lying, but if I told her then it would ruin our friendship, and I couldn't risk that. Despite everything, even after all these years, Ginny was my lifeline. I couldn't risk it… and my mind went blank as she nuzzled up under my chin. This time I couldn't hold in the whine. I could tell she was grinning.

"Harry, tell me."

"Gin… I can't…"

She just continued what she was doing. "I'll make you tell me. You know that."

My heart was breaking. I was damned if I did and damned if I didn't. I knew she was right. It didn't matter how long I tried to resist, she would wear me down. "Gin… I can't… please don't make me." She shifted, turning to face me. Our eyes met and then they dropped.

"Your mad at me."

"Gin…"  
"It's the only reason you wouldn't tell me."  
"Gin it's not…"

"Then tell me!" She shouted into my face. She wasn't looking away now. Her eyes were fierce, and now that blend of brown and gold that was uniquely Ginny's. I couldn't find the words, pinned to the spot by her gaze. When I tried to look away, she slapped me… hard. I knew I would likely sport a bruise. "Don't look away when I'm talking to you! Now, are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to beat it out of you?" I pushed her off of me, and she didn't resist. But when I tried to walk away she tackled me to the ground. Only this time, she wasn't human. The low menacing growl that she let loose made me nervous.

"Gin…" I knew right then that she was pissed. She nipped me hard, almost hard enough to break the skin. When I tried to crawl away, she lashed out with a limb and hit me in the face. When she came in again, I reacted on instinct, and changed. Then I darted out of the way, and too off across the grounds. She was right on my heels, and when I tried to make a sharp turn, she anticipated and tackled me to the ground.

_Tell!  
NO!_

This time she did draw blood, and I knew that she was livid with me. Ginny had never gotten like this before. In all the years I had known her, she had never even come close to drawing blood in any of our little scuffles.

_TELL!_  
_NO!_

She came in again, but I anticipated and darted away. We danced around each other, her trying to do me bodily harm, me trying to avoid being bodily harmed. I tried to figure out what had gotten into her, but nothing was clicking. She wasn't acting like herself, then again, neither was I. After she charged in for another pass, I quickly dodged and darted off through the undergrowth of the Forbidden Forest. Ginny's response was a howl that made me stop in my tracks. It was high pitched and sounded more like something caught in a trap then anything else. I snuck back towards the clearing, and peeked through the underbrush. Ginny was laying in the clearing, unmoving and silent, save for the occasional whimper. When I approached, very cautiously I might add, an ear flicked my way, but otherwise she didn't move.

_Hate me. Go away.  
Not hate you.  
HATE ME! Not talk. Not listen. Not pay attention.  
Not hate you. Friend. Yours.  
Not mine. Not want me._

Now I was completely lost. How was I not paying attention? Or listening? And we talked all the time! I just couldn't talk to her about this one thing. So I came over and slumped down next to her, resting my neck across hers. She reached up to swipe at me but I didn't move as she swatted my nose.

_Yours. Always yours._  
_Not mine. Not want me. Go away._

This wasn't going anywhere, so I reached out to talk to her through the bond.

_"Ginny, talk to me. I don't understand what you mean."_  
_"You wont talk to me. So get used to it."_

_"Gin please…"_

_"No! If you wont talk to me, then I'm not talking to you!"_ I sighed.

_"If you tell me what's wrong, I'll tell you the same."_ Her voice was tentative.

_"You promise?"_  
_"Yes Gin, I promise."_

She turned to look me in the eyes. _"Why don't you want me Harry?"_

I was incredibly confused. _"Gin, I don't understand what you mean."_

She glared at me. _"Why don't you like me Harry? I've been trying to get your attention since we got back to Hogwarts. But you just keep ignoring me."_

_"Gin, I haven't been ignoring you! Kind of hard to ignore someone who can talk to you in your head."_

_"And yet you do an amazing job of it."_

My mind was spinning, and then suddenly it clicked. _"Gin… have you been flirting with me?"_

_"Obviously!"_  
_"But…I thought you liked someone. You said so last year!"_

_"That would be you, you prat!"_ She swiped my nose again.  
_"But…then why didn't you just tell me?"_

_"Because Harry… I couldn't make you give up your dream."_ She looked away, and I could tell she was hurting just as much as I was, if not more._ "You've always wanted to…it's your dream. I can't take that away."_

_"Then why were you flirting with me?"_

She wined, low and piteous. _"I just… I thought maybe…I know we're young but…I can't loose you. You're the only one who understands me, who treats me like I'm special, I want you to be happy, but I want to be happy too. I thought that…"_ She trailed off. _"You thought…?"_ I supplied.

_"I thought that maybe you… and me…"_ Then she turned and glared, _"No. It's your turn! I've told you, now you tell me. What's wrong with you."_

I gave her a flat look. _"You're not done yet."_

_"Oh yes I am! I told you, I've been flirting with you, and you've been ignoring me. Now spill!"_  
_"But you haven't told me why."_  
_"That doesn't matter! Spill!"_

_"Gin! It does matter!"_  
_"Then tell me what's wrong, and I'll tell you why I did what I did."_ We glared at each other, each one daring the other to be the one to back down. In the end it was me. It was always me. Without Ginny to prop me up, I fell faster drunken troll. I looked away, I couldn't let her see the shame in my eyes.

_"I'm thinking about not joining the priesthood."_

_"I figured that much, now why?"_

_"Because… I figured out that there's someone I might want to spend the rest of my life with."_

_"Oh…"_ She trailed off, and I could hear the disappointment in her voice. I voiced my thoughts. _"Why are you disappointed? I thought you would be happy."_ Now she looked away. _"I hope the two of you are happy."_ She tried to get up, but I took her legs out from under her. _"The hell you prat?!"_

_"Why are you walking away?!"_

_"You should go talk to your little girl friend. Best fess up before she's taken!"_  
_"I am talking to her! But she keeps insisting on shouting at me and trying to do me bodily harm!"_ That got her attention. Her eyes widened and she looked like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. I was beyond the point of caring thou. I had been agonizing over this since the end of the last year. I had spent all summer stewing and trying to figure out what I was feeling. I had finally figured out what I was feeling, and then it was time to make a decision. But now I had spent two months agonizing over that decision. I was done being timid. I was done being the Harry I was when I first came to Hogwarts. The little boy who cried himself to sleep almost every night, who had emotional outbursts once a week in class, and was made fun of by almost everyone.

I had done a lot of growing up over the past few years, a lot of healing both physically and emotionally. And now I was tired of being timid. A Gryffindor is bold and brave. And now was the time to be both. So I made my decision. And damn the consequences. I leaned in, nuzzling her neck, and then nipped at her neck the same way she had been doing since we got back. Her reaction was immediate. She leaned into me and made a contented sound that sent my heart soaring. But when I went to pull away, she pushed forward, refusing to break our physical contact.

_"Please… don't stop."_  
_"Gin…"_  
_"Please… for me. I need to know that this isn't just a dream."_

I concentrated, the tingle of raw magic washing over me, and was human again. She followed my lead, and before long she was in my arms. After a few moments she looked up into my eyes, and I tried to feel as confident as I had before as I brought her closer. Our lips met for the first time. It was the first time I had ever really kissed anyone. I know it was probably bad, but I don't think she cared all that much. I don't know how she felt, but I felt like I was home. I had never really felt like I had belonged anywhere in my life. When I lived with my Aunt and Uncle I felt like I was a burden. When I lived in the orphanage, I felt like an outcast and a freak. When I first came to Hogwarts, I was just as much of an outcast and twice the freak. But here, in her arms, I felt whole for the first time in my life. I felt like the world finally made sense, and I knew that I was going to spend the rest of my life trying to make this woman feel like she was special. Because she was special. I felt guilty, I was giving up God for her. But would God really hate me for being happy and for spending my life making her happy?

We stayed that way for hours. Nothing else mattered. But eventually we had to part. When we did I realized that it was about the middle of the afternoon. People would probably be looking for us. "Gin. We need to go back."  
She buried her head in my chest and shook it. "I don't want to."

"I don't either. I personally want to stay right here, or better yet chase you some more. But we have to. We've been gone for hours. Neville was supposed to help us with Herbology, but I think we missed that. People might come and find us."  
That just seemed to make her bury herself even deeper into me. "Don't care."

I slipped my hand under her chin, and made her look at me. "Gin… just because we walk away from here, doesn't mean I'm going anywhere. How about this, we go back, get some work done, attend the feast tonight, and when we get back we snog in our corner. We can even make sure that Ron sees." While a blush did creep up her cheeks, she grinned, her whole face lighting up.

"Really?"

"Really."

"You promise?"  
"I promise."

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

The Great Hall was absolutely bustling. Since the announcement at the welcoming feast, and the arrival of the guest students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, everyone was now on edge. Tonight was the night that the Goblet of Fire would choose the champions for each of the schools, but to be honest it was the furthest thing from my mind. We had, as I had thought, missed our time with Neville, and two classes. Fortunately Neville had offered to reschedule for the Sunday at the same time, plus Snape and Slughorn had both simply hand waved the infraction away stating that as we are the two top students in the class we deserved an occasional break, but to not let it become a habit.

And now it was almost time. Dinner was just about over, with students and professors finishing up desert. Eventually the plates were cleared, and the din of the hall died down as Dumbledore rose to his feet. Flanked by Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff the three stopped just before the goblet. "Out dinner is now at an end, and I believe that the goblet is almost ready to make its decision. I would ask that when the champions' names are called, that they would come proceed into the chamber beyond the staff table," gesturing to the door – "Where they will receive their first instructions."

Dumbledore made a grand sweeping motion with his wand, and all but the candles within the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging the Hall in to a state of semidarkness. The blue white flames of the goblet were now the brightest light source in the whole Hall, and almost painful to look at. Then the flames flickered and became suddenly red. Sparks danced and flew outward, and then a tongue of shot into the air only to disperse, leaving a charred piece of parchment to flutter down.

Dumbledore caught it, and holding it at arms length, he read it by the light of the, now blue white flames of the goblet. "The Champion for Durmstrank will be Rikard Eklund." Applause swept the room, and I saw movement out of the corner of my eye as the man I assumed was Eklund rose and quickly made his way out of the Hall. As the applause died down, we all turned our focus back to the goblet, which seconds later repeated the earlier spectacle to leave another piece of parchment. "The champion for Beauxbatons is Angela LaFortier!" When Angela LaFortier had disappeared as well, it all went silent again. Everyone knew who was next, and the vast majority of the Hall was holding their breath. A shower of sparks, a plume of red fire, and the third piece of parchment fell into Dumbledore's waiting hands. "The Hogwarts champion," his voice booming and merry, "is Zacharias Smith!" The Hall was filled with a roar of applause, as every Hufflepuff jumped to their feet, screaming and stamping, and making my ears ring. Zacharias strode down the isle, turning to bow at his house mates before making his way into the chamber beyond.

"Excellent! Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can summon…" Dumbledore's voice trailed off, and I quickly realized why. The goblet's flames had again turned red, then a wave of sparks and another plume of flame shot suddenly into the air, a scrap of parchment drifting towards the ground. The Headmaster's hand seized it, almost automatically it seemed. And he held it out, staring at the name written. There was a long silence, as Dumbledore continued to study the parchment, and everyone's eyes were fixed on him. When he spoke is voice was barely a whisper, but it carried through the silent Hall, and when I heard him, my mind went blank. "Ginevra Weasley."

AN: Before I forget, I would like to thank the following: Alas De Fuego, Lord Jawblinneron, Rauguste, mikey1048, BizzyBee9696, LadyB3lla, Loyal untill the end, Nycel, Tronishere, Twite2, brianna123bc, and zorica. Thank you all for the reviews, and favorites. I would also like to thank the others who have added me to their follows list, though as that's not something anyone can dig up on this site, I will keep their names private. Again, thank you.

Better late then never. I ended up passing out yesterday while watching LCS, and as a result got almost no work done. But since I woke up extremely early as a result, I took the liberty of finishing out the chapter. I haven't done any work on chapter nine for warrior, but i do have the outline complete, its just setting pen to paper (so to speak).

Disclaimer: Any similarities to original properties here in are likely the properties of their original owners, I am only borrowing them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Rising Storm

When I got back to the common room, I plopped myself down in our corner and waited. Everyone else was incredibly excited, I was just pissed. This was going to be our year, and now it was all down the tubes because of someone's sick idea of a joke. And when Seamus Finnigan pulled up a chair, I knew our conversation wasn't going to end well. "So, how'd you two pull it off?"  
"We didn't."

"Oh come off it! We're all excited," He was however cut off by a shrill voice that I knew all to well.

"We are not all excited Seamus! You two embarrassed our house out there!"

"Ease off Hermione!" Seamus launched back, but the Irishman was instant frozen in he seat when she snapped a finger into his face.

"Don't you 'ease off' me! I'm one of our bloody Prefects and he just helped make our house look like cheaters in front of the whole school and all of the visiting students! Now Mathews, how did you do it?!"

I glared up at her and gave a quick rebuff. "We didn't do anything. We already had plans tonight, that are probably ruined thanks to this stunt."

"I don't believe you. Lying to a Prefect," she hissed, "And you walk about calling yourself a good Christian." I narrowed my eyes and couldn't contain the growl that rumbled from my chest.

"How dare you! Why would I lie? Give me one good reason. If someone hadn't put Ginny's name in the cup, she and I would be right here at this very moment, making your boyfriend's head explode."

Her expression shifted between anger and confusing, with confusion apparently winning out. "And what, pray tell, would cause his head to explode?"  
"Doesn't matter now. I highly doubt it's going to happen anymore. No telling when she'll get back." As if in response, the portrait swung open and Ginny stepped through. While some might have fallen into the hands of everyone who tried to pull her to the center of the room, she had far better reflexes. She deftly dodged through everyone, and threw herself at me. I caught her, landing back in our spot, and pulled her close. With her that close I could tell she was on the verge of crying. So I just sat down, let her curl up in my lap, and did my best to comfort her.

"Hey, don't cry. Want to make your brother's head explode?"

"And how would you two manage that?" I looked up to see that Ron was standing next to Hermione now, glaring down at them. "I'm already just about ready to. Hermione's right, you two just screwed up."

I heard Ginny mumble into my chest, "Can I just hex him instead?"

I chuckled, "You'll probably get docked points, but I'm not stopping you if you want to."

She shook her head, and I could feel set spots forming as she silently cried. "You want to go to bed? Or stay down here?" She tightened her grip on me. "Alright, I'm not going to force you."

Hermione's voice was expectant. "Oh please. Stop pretending and admit to what you two did."

I glared up at her, "We didn't do anything. No matter how much you badger us we can't admit to something we didn't do. Why would either of us do it we…" I trailed off. I wasn't going to just shout this out for the whole common room to hear.

"Harry…can we disappear…please?"

"You want to go outside?" She nodded vigorously.

I looked up the two prefects and simultaneously retrieved the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder in my pocket. "Sorry guys." When the air was filled Ginny and I bolted. I quickly retrieved my invisibility cloak, then wrapped it around us. We were out the portrait hole before anyone could react. But instead of down, Ginny pulled me further into the castle, and after a few seconds I knew where we were going. The seventh floor corridor was deserted, save for a lone tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy. She quickly paced back and forth, and when the ornate doors appeared, practically flew through them.

I was right behind her, but Ginny was already transformed and darting off through the trees. I quickly stashed the cloak, and was off after her. She wasn't running to have fun, she was running hard and fast, trying to wear herself out. I kept pace, but only barely, until she finally snagged a paw on a root and tumbled to the ground. I was next to her instantly, and could feel her shaking. I pressed up against her, trying to reassure her, but that only seemed to make it worse.

"It's not fair."

"I know Gin."

"If I find out who put my name in that bloody goblet, I'm going to not to go around provoking wolves."

I made sure to press up against her, and then nipped at her neck like I had hours before. The effect was immediate. She almost completely stopped shaking, and then leaned in and nipped me right back, sending a shudder down my spine. She pushed even closer to me and I was very aware of just how close we were and how much Ginny was trying to increase the contact between us.

"Gin. We need to stop."

"Please Harry…"  
"Gin, we can't. I can't." Her whine was so piteous that it broke his heart, and she completely ignored me and pushed into me.

"Harry I need you."

"And I'm right here and not going anywhere. But I wont go any further."  
Again, she whined at me and nipped at my neck. "Please…"

"Gin! What's gotten into you?"

"I don't want to be here anymore. Lets run away, far away, where no one can find us."

"And where would that be? Neither one of us is of age. We haven't even completed our OWLs yet. Where would we go?"  
"I don't care! We'll… we'll go find somewhere, maybe the continent, maybe the Americas. We'll just live without magic until we're old enough." And before I could voice another word she was looking me in the eyes. "I don't want to die."

"Gin, you're not going to die."  
"They shut this damn tournament down because a cockatrice got loose Harry. I don't want to die! I haven't even gotten to really live! I'm only fifteen…"

We spent several hours with her going back and forth between barely functional and completely panicking. Twice more she got so worked up that we took of through the conjured woods, running until she stopped. Eventually Ginny passed into a restless sleep, but I couldn't join her. All her fear an anxiety had riled me up, and despite what I hoped, I knew that she was in real danger. I was so caught up in my thought, that I didn't even realized until it spoke.

**I told you I would be back.**

I almost jumped, but managed to catch myself so that I didn't wake Ginny.

Go away.

**You think that I will leave after all this time gone?**

Leave!

**Never! I will never leave! You are mine until the day you die!**

I couldn't hold in my growl, and Ginny squirmed against me and let out a wimper. I quickly forced myself to calm down.

What do you want?! I don't have time to play games with you.  
**So impatient. Where is the tiny wolf pup that I held while he cryed himself to sleep? Where is the little wolf that I sang to? Where is the boy who wanted nothing more then for all the pain go away? Where is the boy who wanted to belong?**

I found my place and my faith. Now talk demon!

**Picky picky… I can help her.**

I felt my heart beat quicken and I almost snarled.

What do you want from me in return?

It chuckled. **Not you… her.**

NO! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you, but you don't get anything from her!

That is not how it works little wolf. I want her. I already have you, now I want her.

That isn't going to happen.

**Then she will die. You think that I am ignorant to history? With only a few exceptinos, this tournament has had at least one person die during it, usually the least experienced participant. If she wants to live, she will let me in!**

Never! I'll do whatever it takes to keep you away from her!

**Oh I know… believe me, I have the scar to prove it.**

Then leave! Go back where you were hiding!

**No. You can't kill me. Besides, I am no monster boy. If I was a monster then why would I have held you? Why would I have sung to you?**

Don't lie!

**I cannot harm those that I reside within. I have never hurt you, and if I live in her, then I cannot harm her either. It is that simple.**

I wont let you.

**I think that she might disagree. **

Snapping back to reality, I realized that Ginny was staring up at me.

"_Don't Gin. It isn't worth it."_

"_What isn't worth it Harry? Getting to live?"  
"No Gin! You don't know what it's like!"  
"Maybe not, but wouldn't it be better to have some… monster wispering in my ear then for me to be dead?"_

"Ginny!"  
"No Harry! I want to live! I want to get through this and live a long and happy life with you! I wont let anything stand in the way of that. I accept."

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, and I saw the same thing happen to her. And then a pressure seemed to build, growing higher, and higher, and higher, until I thougth that the world would tear… and then it was gone.

**How might I be of service she-wolf?**

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

"Again!"

So again we moved towards each other, and I became lost in our dance. Lunge, parry, attack, parry, dodge, feint, lunge, retreat, parry, parry, attack, parry- Ginny's training sword slipped under my guard and slammed into my side. The sound of wood on flesh was over powered by a popping crack and pain shooting through my side. I barely managed to hold onto my own wodden practice sword, and retreated several steps.

"Very good she-wolf." I turned and glared at the spectral image of Sur'ket. It stared back, amusement glittering in its eyes. Then it seemed to fade momentarially, and pain erupted through my side as my ribs were forcefully realigned and then fused back together, but it did not numb the pain.

"Again!"

We had already been training for hours today, and for almost a month all together. There were only two days left until the First Task, and the last month had been hellish, but Sur'ket had kept its word. There were no threats. And no attempts to influence us, or at least if it was trying to influence us it was so subtle that neither one of us could pick up on it. This time I managed to push aside her sword, but hesitated. She didn't, and when the wood connected with arm I lost the grip on my own sword and it tumbled to the ground.

"Enough." It regarded me with a piercing gaze. "You must improve. You cannot hesitate."  
I glared back. "So I'm just supposed to feel alright about hurting her?"

Ginny's voice cut in before either of us could respond, "She is right here Mathews, and she wants you to stop treating her like a fragile doll!"

I was caught between trying to stare down Sur'ket and give Ginny a look to convey my feelings. "I'm not trying to do that Gin, but…"  
"But nothing. Stop being so timid Harry. I need you to be strong here."  
"The she-wolf is right. If you cannot overcome this timidness then you will be of no use. She needs you strong so that her opponent can be strong." Its image turned and regarded Ginny. "We have done as much as we can in such a short time. But we will continue, I am confident that you will succeed at this First Task. Now go. If you hurry, you can still make it to that little village with your friends.

We hurried back to the tower, and sure enough were able to make the Hogsmeade trip. I stayed with our little group of friends as they browsed through the various shops, before quietly excusing myself at the Three Broomsticks. Ginny gave me a look but I quickly belayed any concern. _"I need to go talk to someone. I'll be back as quick as I can."_ I found the shop fairly quickly. I knew Malkof, he had been the one to repair the chain for my cross the few times I had broken it, and if there was someone I could trust with this, I knew it was him.

The door opened to the clink of metal on metal, the hundred or so tiny animated smiths over it began to get to work, and would do so for at least a minute before they sat back down again. From the back I heard Malkof's voice. "Who's that then?"

"It's Harry Mathews."  
"Mathews! You break your chain again? I hope you brought all the links this time." Tottering out of the back room, Malkof wasn't what you would imagine from his deep voice. He was short, maybe a little over a meter tall, his skin was pale and his head was bald and gleamed like someone had polished it and he had a well trimmed beard, with a mustash that looked more appropriate for someone out of the eighteen hundreds. He quickly climbed up into a chair, and pushed it over to the counter where it held him at a more appropriate hight.

"It's not about the chain Sir."  
"How many times? Its not Sir, its Malkof! And I would prefer Mal from you Harry."  
"I'm sorry Mal, but this time it's really important." He got a look in his eyes.  
"Oh?"

"I need you to make something." His eyebrows shot up.  
"Harry… in the past few years I've begged to make something for you. You've always shot me down before. What-"

I cut him off and knew I was blushing. "I need two engagement rings and weding rings."

He stared at me for a few seconds, then chortled. "I see you finally noticed! So, when did you realize that little Miss Weasley was trying to get your attention?"  
I stared back at him unbelieving. "Uh… about a month ago. You knew?"

"Merlin boy! She's been flirting with you since last year! You really can be blind. But no matter that! Would you like something personally made?"  
"For the wedding rings yes… but I think I can just look over what you've got for the engagements."  
" I know it's not traditional, but I do have an assortment of other things that could serve the purpous."

"I do want rings, but I might look at what you have, and maybe get something more… practical as well."

"Well is there anything in particular your looking for? Metals? Gems? Also are you dead set on rings?

I thought for a few moments, but then broke into a smile. "Yeah, there is."

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

"What exactly are we looking at here?" I asked.

I recognized the basics of the maps. Together, the regional maps covered most of the world. But the patterns didn't make any sense.

"This is the accumulated data from the last seven years by the FORT devision. We have several computer generated animations to show the progression. But if you compare the first set with the second, you can already see the shits."

"But what does it actually mean?" Rodgers asked.

Lady Milan's voice was warm, as though talking about the weather. "It showes a definate pattern of power shift. Humanity hasn't been as advanced as we are now ever in its recorded history, but if I had to guess based on the available data, I would say that we are looking at convergence."  
"A what?" Johnson asked. God did I hate Johnson, never read his reports, or did any actualy record reading. Just kept up to date on popular culture. So I answered gruffly. "It means that we're looking at the possibility of a Category Zero." Everyone in the room stopped moving and it got very quiet. I continued to read over the data proviced, and Lady Milan continued to sip at a cup of tea. After several minutes, Walker broke the silence when he slamemed his hands down on the table in front of him.

"That's impossible! Category Zero is a theoritically exercise! There's no sites of sufficient power left in the world for something of that magnitude!"  
"If you were looking at the data, you would see otherwise. Something is making power shift across whole regions. And a lot of that power is getting caught in various natural nexi. If someone tapped that power…" I trailed off.  
"If that's the case, we need a full mobilization! We need to break out the Atlantis Protocols! Secrecy be damned!"  
Lady Milan giggled in a manner more suited to girls multiple decades her junion. "You really think that by trotting out statutes, laws, and agreements almost two centuries old that you'll be able to convince the United States government that the supernatural exists?"  
"It's our only shot! If we don't mobilize quickly-" I cut him off.

"If we don't manage our resources and act within protocol then we risk tipping our hand and clogging up the whole system. Do you think that we can handle twenty thousand new people to train? We would be forcibly reintigrated into the governments existing structure, and that would make our jobs excedingly difficult."  
A digitally altered voice cracled over the speakers. "Indeed. We can't have disruptions of that magnitude."  
Andrews sighed. "What about reaching out an olive branch to the Aegis? Or the Venatori? Network Zero? Cheiron? Ashwood? –" the voice cut him off there.  
"No. The antagonistic nature of our past relationships makes the likelyhood of real cooperation with actual results at just above zero percent."

"Then what do we do?!"

The voice clicked on again. "We commence with Operations Storm Break and Safe Harbor."

I heard several gasps, but knew it really was the only way. "But Sir!"

"Silence! Operationd Storm Break and Safe Harbor are out best hope. Miss Milan."  
"Yes Sir?"  
"I want writeups for the thirteen most ideal locations in North America. I want twenty additional backup locations outside of that region. Have them for me by twenty two hundred three days from now."

"Yes Sir."

I continued to read the data infront of me. Section VII wasn't going down without a fight. If we could avert this disaster before it got any worse, then there would be no need to start laying foundations, draw attention, or loose such large amounts of operation capital. Somewhere in this data was the answer… So I had to memorize it all and take it back to HQ for reproduction. We would have to act quickly, but Section VII had never been slow to act, or anything less than brutal in our execution.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Where There's Smoke…

"Alpha One, this is Alpha Two, come in Alpha One."  
"This is Alpha One, go ahead Alpha Two."  
"We have confirmation on the nest. We have confirmation on seven flats and fifteen pulses."  
"This is Alpha One to Control, permission to start the operation."  
"This is Control, reading you five by five, permission granted. Operation Clean Sweep is a go."

I sat in the command center in a chair that was far more comfortable then I really wanted it to be. Regional operations for the Central Western United States for Section VII was hectic. Thirty seven response teams, twenty infiltration teams, eighteen tracking teams, seven diversion teams, five emergency fast response teams, and Blood Squad. It all made for an extreme amount of juggling. Reports, requisitions, supplies, lodging, travel. It all had to be organized, documented, and filed. Bureaucracy at its finest. On the bright side, we were on the forward curve technologically speaking. We had equipment that would one day form the backbone of the US military, but for now was all experimental, theoretical, and untested in the field. We were the field testers.

I watched with detachment as two of Alpha group's monitors flat lined, their visual feeds having registered a blur of movement. When two more did the same, I acted. "Alpha team, we have four flat lines. What's going on?"  
"This is Alpha Seven sir! We think it's Draugr! Requesting fire support! I repeat-" I watched as Alpha Seven and Six both flat lined.

"Control to FireFly, what's your status?"  
"This is FireFly, we are on location and have eyes on the target location. What are your orders?"  
"Scorched Earth orders are in effect. All remaining members of Alpha Unit are to evacuate the scene. FireFly, you are free and clear, open fire."

I watched the tactical video on the main screen shift to the grainy black and white of the C130. I saw the first salvo of the 105 mm M102 cannon with the follow up by the Bofors 40mm auto cannon. The cabin evaporated under the fire, and the follow up from the two 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannons began to shred the vehicles, before they switched back for salvos of the heaver guns. I saw two more of Alpha Squad flat line in time with the fire. After several minutes of fire, I called FireFly off, and ordered the retreat. The final toll was more then expected, and a chilling reminder of the world we lived in. Alpha Squad had lost more then half of the men in the unit. I gave the order for the clean up crew that was standing by to move in, then I ordered FireFly to remain on standby and in the operation theater until the clean up was complete, before sagging back into my chair.

"It never gets easier."  
"No sir, it never will." I glared at the woman who sat beside me. Maria was older then me, more experienced then me, she had turned down several promotions, and to top it off, she looked younger then me. Section VII was an equal opportunity employer, and that included the monsters that we normally hunted. Sometimes we found one that was just trying to get by, and we gave them an option. Join up or die. Most chose the latter, but the few who joined the former… they were dedicated beyond belief. Blood Squad, Section VII's poster squad was composed entirely of vampires and werewolves. They were the heavy hitters, fast, efficient, brutal, and with enough dedication to be called extremists. Several past members had gone so far as to kill themselves to take out targets. It was always difficult to replace the members, but as the squad shrank in size, it grew even more dedicated and more brutally efficient.

Maira wasn't human. She was some sort of quasi-immortal, and if she stripped away the illusion, you would be able to see the half animal features, like something out of an comic from Asia. If she had been human, she would be running the Central Western Region, but she was relegated to positions that required supervision. The fact that she was a complete sociopath didn't help things. But it was the fact that she kept the same position for fifty years that bothered him. She was the Vice-Head Regional Operator… she answered to the command staff, and no one else. But not just that, she knew everything. She ran the operations center, knew exactly where each agent was at every moment. She knew supply routs and times. She knew who was injured and where they were. And if what the Head of Section VII was saying was true… she would jump ship like a rat when the information came down.

And that was why I pulled my gun on her that night. That was why I pulled the trigger and hit nothing but air. That was why they found us three hours later, the control room a bloody mess. And that was why I clung to her, despite having shrugged off my mortal coil. I knew I wasn't alive anymore. I knew I was a monster now. But what I held onto, was my need for revenge. I wanted to see Maria burn…

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

I continued to sit in the cold in St Petersberg, even as the snow fell around me and my fingers and toes froze, I waited. The woulds were superficial at best, I could regrow the digits without issue. I hadn't moved from my place next to the dumpster in the deserted ally for almost a week. The building that I watched sat unaltered, but if my observations were correct, then the door would open in 3…2…1… the door opened to reveal the security detachment. Then quickly rushed to the gates, which swung open as the hydraulic pillars along the wall dropped back into the ground. Moments later a vehicle pulled up and a man disembarked. The security detail quickly ushered him inside, and as the front door closed the gate swung shut, and with a heavy sound bolts slid into its frame, and the pillars rose back up.

The security was flawless. But they didn't have the time or intelligence that I did. After a week I had figured out the scheduled. After a week I knew everything there was to know. So now it was time to move. I stood up and strode across the street, my magic washing over me as I peeled back the façade and revealing what lived beneath my human guise. When I was halfway my legs tensed and then I lept into the air, my wings snapped out and vibrated at high speed, sending me further aloft. I landed wall of the building, past any mundane defenses, but immediately felt the surge of magic associated with my prey's herd. I undulated my body and spun down and into the window, pushing with my power nearly inch thick windows shattered and I rolled down the hall. The power of the wards lept up and electricity arced through my body. I screeched and then let the energy sear my flesh and lay still.

The first team arrived in less then thirty seconds. The second was only twenty seconds behind. I could sense my prey… he was moving and would exit the building in two minutes. I lay still until I heard the door outside and below open, then I sprung back the way I came. The charred remnants of my outer most carapace flaked away, and just as quickly I scurried down the side of the building. With a snap of my mandibles I took his head in a single pass and lept, easily clearing the wall and landing in the street beyond. I skittered along, the bladed ends of my limbs plunging into the next buildings wall as I hauled myself up its side. Then I was onto the roof and across roof tops. I needed to reach the nest I had set up, so that I could take my time absorbing Nicoli. His knowledge would be very important in the next steps of my plan. So very important…

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

Fields of ice and snow stretched as far as I could see. I had lived here for almost seven years now. The site was a natural convergence of ley lines, which made it ideal. Humans avoided it, animals thrived in it, and nature reclaimed it almost every winter. My den connected to surface and to the caves below. And while the caves flooded almost completely every spring, it also discouraged my handlers from bothering me during said months. But it wasn't spring… it was a cold day on the cusp of winter when I heard the cracks of visitors in the chamber below. Puling myself out of a comfortable doze, I poked my head through one of the holes that allowed me to see into the chamber.

Four men stood there, in the middle of the large chamber. I recognized Gregori and Karfkock, but the other two were unknown to me. A short balding man, who looked like he had at one point held much more weight, with a pointed nose and beady watery eyes who held a bundle of rags. He smelled of rats and filth, and a cloying smell that I couldn't place. The other was far fairer, with pale skin dotted slightly with freckles, and a mop of fair hair. But his smell was familiar… it clung to him like half visible miasma, the stench of something spiritually foul. Heinrich had the same stench. I slipped away and down a tunnel, walking out onto a ledge above the men. Karfkock and Gregori saw me immediately. "Get down here. Someone wants to speak with you." I complied. No sense I making them force me. I was utterly powerless, trapped in my animagus form. Their spell forced me back into a more human appearance. However, the voice that rattled from the rags was what made me freeze.

"If it isn't Anton Chernov."

I growled in response, unable to control myself after so long trapped as an animal. My voice was rough and dry, I hadn't spoken for almost twelve years. "Anatolius… Chernov…"

"My apologies Anatolius." The creature hissed. "I find myself in need of your assistance."  
"Who?"

The bundle laughed, its voice dry, "I am Lord Voldemort. The Dark Lord." I stared, and the bundle continued to speak. "You were imprisoned here, in the vast wilderness. Cast out, but always watched. Forced to live as an animal. I offer you freedom, you only you will serve me. Your mind served Grindelwald well, serve me now."  
I stared long an hard. I ran through the numbers, ran every possible prediction. I saw all the outcomes, and calculated the odds. Then it spoke again. "Let me see him, Wormtail…" The balding man tilted the bundle, and I saw the homunculus within. I saw the white wand and instantly knew my chance to escape was at hand.

"Vengeance…" I steadied myself, "You will give me my vengeance." I crawled closer.

"Yes. Those that wrong you will suffer."  
"You will let me kill him?" Closer.

"Yes. Albus Dumbledore will die."

Finally I was within reach, and I spoke as I moved. "I care not for Dumbledore!" My hand lashed out, and quickly snatched the wand away. Everyone moved exactly as I predicted. Wormtail faltered, and stumbled backward, blocking the unknown man from casting. Gregori reacted faster then Karfkock, but my leg was already lashing out, catching him in the knee and sending him sprawling. Karfkock's spell missed me by millimeters, but my spell lifted him from his feet and flung him into the wall. I quickly shed my human skin, and wore what was underneath. My silvery white coat was just coming in, but I darted into a tunnel, only barely dodging a killing curse. The wall was ripped apart behind me, as spells pounded on my tail. But I knew exactly where to turn, and was outside running across the frosty terrain. Once I was sure I was at a safe distance, I changed back and quickly began to unmake the myriad of spells binding me.

If I hadn't retained the hearing after being forced to live as I had for so long, I would never have heard them over the wind. I silently cast a spell, causing the snow for a hundred yards in every direction to take flight, obscuring everything. More shouts followed, and spell light streaked past me into the whiteout. I continued to mutter and rolled, making sure to keep my movements fluid so blend in as much as possible. Just as I finished, a bellowing voice carried itself on the wind and all the snow held aloft fell to the earth. I twisted and saw a myriad of faces, many hidden behind masks of silver. I couldn't help but scoff. A Dark Lord who's men hid behind masks had already lost. With a completed twist, I disapparated, the sensation was unfamiliar and I landed hard. Looking around, I realized that I wasn't where I was supposed to be. Trees dotted hill sides and the terrain was familiar, but not something that I knew well. Still the Baltic, but not my safe house, so I cursed and forced all my will and power forward and spun again. This time I landed even harder, but I landed exactly where I needed to. The room was stone, and lit by an ambient illumination that came from no source. I reached out with my power, and felt the wards recognize me, then I was standing in the main entrance. The hallway was pitched black, but even decades later I remembered where everything was. I quickly snapped off a spell, locking down the wards, then I walked slowly towards my dormatory. I needed a shower, and after almost fifty years of exile as an artic fox, I felt that I deserved one.

I stalked by the portrait that I had almost forgotton, but snapped off a quick salute. "Seig Heil. Heil Grindelwald." And then ducked into the showers. I could talk to the portrait later, when I was more appropriately dressed and washed.

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

November the twenty fourth came with biting cold, light snow, and news that shocked the wizarding world.

"Anatolius 'Anton' Chernov, former High Magus of the Thule Society and Gellert Grindelwald's Left Hand escapes custody," Hermione read aloud for everyone within earshot to hear, and many had stopped what they were doing to listen, "According to sources within the Russian Republic, a routine check in went awry when Chernov managed to get his hands on the wand of one of his guards. As a result one of the darkest wizards in known history is now on the run, his whereabouts unknown. As he has a wand, he is to be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do no approach. Flee the area if he is spotted and contact the DMLE immediately."

Harry's hand found mine, and I was pulled out of my revery. "Ginny, you can't loose focus right now. Eat." I nodded and blocked out everything but Harry, Sur'ket, and my food. Even now, a myriad of information was dancing through my head, all courtesy of Sur'ket. A thousand lifetimes worth of information, so much knowledge that I would never have enough time to fully understand it all, but that wasn't the point. Sur'ket and Harry had been together all his life, they could synchronize at a moments notice. I couldn't. Everything was about survival, and if Sur'ket was going to help me, then we needed to be able to act together.

A hand dropped onto my shoulder, and I turned to see Professor McGonagall. "You're needed on the grounds now Miss Weasley." I nodded and turned, swallowing the lump in my throat, my heart hammering in my chest. Harry reached across the table and gave my hand a squeeze. "You'll do fine. Just remember practice." I gave him a smile, but I knew that he saw right past it. We didn't know anything about what was going to happen, and I was deathly nervous.

'She-wolf, steady your nerves. I gave my word that I wouldn't let you die.'

'Easy for you to say.'

'I have never broken my word. You will pass this task, even if I have to take control of you and force you to.' That only made me more nervous, because I knew that it was telling the truth about what it would do, and because I didn't think that I would be able to stop it.

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

It had been almost twenty years since I had set foot back into the wizarding world. I had left the world of wizards all but behind me when I entered the priesthood, but when Harry had written and asked me for help, I couldn't say no. So here I sat, on a shared wooden bench in the Scottish Highlands, waiting for Ginny Weasley to appear to face a dragon. Admittedly, my curiosity had also driven me here. Harry had written me almost a month prior to inform me that he would, in fact, not be entering the priesthood. It had been a bit of a shock. Harry had followed in Father Mathews footsteps from a very young age. He had idolized the man, and done everything he could to be closer to the man he considered his father, as well as the one Father Mathews had called his own father. Harry was dedicated, compassionate, humble, well spoken, and everything else that would make him an ideal priest for The Church. But last summer he had written me about how he was having a crisis of faith. I had tried to help him through it, but it seemed that the crisis wasn't what I had though. It wasn't that he didn't think he deserved the priesthood, it was that he had fallen for a girl.

And it was not a passing fancy either. Harry had already showed me the plans he was drawing up for the rings. I was genuinely happy for the boy. Few ever found someone that young, and to have already found someone that he loved that much, and from what he told me, loved him back, was a joyous event. But now the boy was terrified. He sat next to me, praying again and again. He repeated prayers to Saint Martin, Saint George, Saint Luke, the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. He prayed over and over again, with a faith that bordered on fanatic. But I could understand why. Pitting a fifteen year old girl against a dragon was insane. It would have been insane when I had lived been a part of the wizarding world, and it was insane now. I gave the boy a shoulder to lean on, and prayed along with him.

When they called for her to enter the arena however, things took a significant decline. The second the girl stepped into the arena, the Hungarian Horntail reacted completely differently then it should have. Once it lay eyes on the girl, it gave out a frightful shriek and immediately began to back away. Everyone was shocked… everyone but myself. I had seen that kind of reaction before, but not towards a fifteen year old girl. The last time I had seen it was during the last World War. Fritz Black had been a Grand Master of the Thule Society for almost twenty years when I had met him. He had also walked past several dragons who had all reacted just as badly to the man. He was a wizard of the darkest kind, having participated in countless dark rituals and, having mastered the dark arts. He was vicious… He was cruel… He was borderline psychotic… and He had been scouted for the Venatori. Fritz's bloodline was unique, and the fact that he was beyond redemption had struck a blow to the Venatori. The fact that he had been killed not two days later by Anatolius Chernov for having met with us was an even greater blow.

But I watched as Ginny Weasley walked forward slowly, and managed to take her golden egg without even having to lift a finger. The dragon spent all of its time trying its best to get away from her, and made sure never to get in her way. Could it be that, after all this time, I had found another Eater?

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

After several days of attempts, I resigned myself to what had become my new fate. There was no going back to human, at least not under my own power. So now, in a transfigured suit I sat in the dining hall and ate while the portrait of my former master Gellert Grindelwald stared at me with his piercing blue eyes. I was unperturbed. Grindelwald had never been a master that I cared for, he had offered me vengeance, and so I served him. Now he was powerless to do anything to me. "You betrayed me." I pointedly ignored it. "You cannot simply ignore me forever. I will see you punished." I picked up my glass, and almost dropped it, the pads on my hands were something I would definitely have to get used to. "Do not ignore me Anatolius!" I sipped from the flute and then set it down gently.

"You no longer have the power to threaten me, and besides, I don't feel the need to defend myself to decorations."  
"How dare you!"

"You are nothing more then an enchanted decoration, little better then my glass with a refilling charm, though definitely more irritating."  
"I could reveal your location you know. A portriate of me hangs in the German Hall of Remembrance. I could inform the guards to you wereabouts."

"Please, do so. I would relish watching the men suffocate in the antechamber. It might give me some entertainment while I try to decipher my next course of action. After all, fifty years of exile in the Russian wilderness has left me severly underinformed."

I continued to eat, and he continued to glare. "What do you want to know." It was almost a whisper, but I just barely heard it. "What did you say?"

"What do you wish to know…?" Now I stared hard at the portrait.

"Why are you asking?"  
A pained expression crossed the portraits face, but it answered. "I am compelled to help you. The real Gellert made me to help you. He is truly sorry for not having been able to help you." I stared.

"He is still alive?"

It nodded. "Yes. He is imprisoned within Nurmengard."

I stared. After everything that we had done during the war, the wizarding world had just locked him up in that prison?

"You are absolutely certain?"

"Yes. Albus Dumbledore defeated him in a duel."

"And then turned coward. No one had the guts to finish the job."  
"No. And you led them to him."  
I had no remorse. "The muggle war was falling apart. Everything was coming down around us. It was either sacrafice a piece or loose."  
"THE KING IS NOT A SIMPLE PIECE!"  
"No man is the king. The cause is the king. No matter how powerful you were, you were only a queen in the game, at best. The cause is the king."  
"But you cared nothing about the cause!"

"And I still don't. But you convinced me to join because of how I thought. Sacrafice the queen to win the longer conflict? Or let the conflict die with us all killed in our beds."

"Wizards are born to rule!"  
"I could care less about who rules the world. I want vengence! I want Carlus Potter! I WANT TO SEE HIM AND HIS FAMILY BURN!" The china shattered, my flute exploded in my grip, several chairs flew away, and the fireplace roared as though a dragon was breathing the fire out. I quickly locked my emotions back under control.

"I'm afraid it's a little to late for that."  
I stared at the portrait. "Tell me what you know!"

"The Potter line is dead. Charlus Potter and his wife Dorea perished during the war in the seventies, as did their son and his wife. Charlus's grandson has been missing for almost a decade, and its assumed that he's dead as well." I slumped back into my chair, all I could taste was ashes, and my heart was a hole in my chest.

"Then I might as well end it now. I have nothing left."  
"No. You do have something left. Dumbledore lives and the cancer of Voldemort's followers is a real threat."

"Voldemort?"  
"The Dark Lord who came to power in the seventies. He believes in strict blood purity, even goes so far as to say that muggleborns steal their power from real wizards."

"Proposterous, no matter how you try to come to that conclusion, there is no way for a mudane to steal a person's magic. If it could have been done, then I would have had more then a few people used for just such an occation."  
"That doesn't stop them from believing it. They are a cancer on our world, who take the truth of blood purity and twist it to elivate themselves, and degradate those who will not bow to them. The Thule still lives! And you are its oldest and highest ranking member. Help make this world a better place! Fight the long fight as you called it." I stared off into space, and contemplated. No matter how I tried to dress it up, taking my life was a cowards way out. Elise wouldn't want me to do that. I sighed.

"Then contact the members. And get one of them to arrange to get me into England. If I am to start anywhere, let it be Potter's home. I think I will take great pleasure in tearing down Dumbledore and Potter's ancestral home." The portrait smiled and I returned the gesture with a bowed head.

- Bloodlines: Echoes -

I stormed into the Room of Requirement with Harry hot on my heels. I found the spectral image of Sur'ket waiting and I quickly picked up the closest object and hurled it at the image. The chair passed through and clattered away behind it, which did nothing to end my anger.

"What was that?!"

"What was what she-wolf?"  
I stomped my foot and tried to call up all my hatred into my stare. "That! With the dragon! It would go anywhere near me! Mind explaining that?!"

"It sensed me and reacted as any prey would. Why does this bother you? You completed your task."

"And now the whole school is going to be trying to figure out why!"  
"None within the walls of this school have the knowledge necessary to understand."

Harry broke in. "What about Dumbledore?"

Sur'ket scoffed. Its face twisting into a facsimile of a grin, "The bumbeling old fool knows nothing." That didn't make me feel any better.

"But he knows something." Sur'ket shrugged, but Harry's response was loud and filled with Power. "Answer me!" Silverwhite fire lanced across the creature's hide, there was a spray of etherial blood, and Sur'ket screeched and duck behind one of the pillars in the room, shielding its visage from sight.  
"NO! NO MORE!"  
"Answer me!"

Sur'ket's voice was hesitant, like a child after a scolding, but tinged with genuine pain. "He may suspect something… may think he knows… we have been seen before… wizards fear us…"

"Fear? Us?"  
"Sur'ket is not the only one. Many bloodlines. Many Eaters."  
"And fear?"

Sur'ket seemed to try to shrink behind the pillar, trying to hide its buld from Harry. "The Others… we hunger… we are meant to eat… we gather strength and knowledge by devouring it… Sur'ket has always been restrained by your bloodline. Others not restrained, but the songs are all but gone."

A look of confusion passed across Harry's face, and I was willing to bet mine was mirror. "Songs?"  
"We all sing, everything sings, the universe sings and each piece of it sings its own song in harmony. I can hear the last songs of my kind… only four now. Once there were thousands… now only four…" It trailed off wistfully, and after a few moments it peeked out from behind the pillar to stare are me. "Your training must intensify. Oblivion comes and my hosts must be strong for the battles ahead."

My voice was in sync with Harry's, "Oblivion?"

AN: I am still working on Warrior, but I've had to rewrite the chapter four separate times. It's not coming out how either myself or my commissioner would like. That is, in fact, where I have been all this time. Eventually I had to take a break, so I worked on this.

As for here in Bloodlines, the end of the last chapter was a taste. This chapter begins to cut into the meat of it all. There is a great deal going on in the larger world, and several characters introduced here will be making return appearances. Now that being said, don't think that next chapter it's all going to blow. Most of what is going on is building up for the climax of this story, and the actual effects will play out in the sequel - Bloodlines: Changes. And before I forget, I would like to thank those of you who Reviewed, Favorited, and Followed my works.

Until next time.- Adam


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